Should I get certified as an administrative professional?

Although demand is high for qualified, knowledgeable administrative professionals, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. Did you know that in the United States alone, there are over 4 million jobs in the administrative field, including those for executive assistants and administrative assistants like yourself?

Identifying the best administrators can also be a tough task for talent managers. Whether they are looking to fill a new role, or make decisions about annual raises and promotions, employers find it difficult to pinpoint the candidates with the right knowledge, motivations and skills to excel.

But there is a way to make it easier for yourself and for those decision-makers looking for the top people. Getting certified — and earning a special designation you can put after your name on any resume or LinkedIn profile — demonstrates you’ve not only made a choice to pursue and complete a rigorous program of study, but it also shows to everyone around you that you are investing in your own career excellence, that you can set goals and achieve objectives. You can be trusted to go the distance.

You’re already ahead of the pack — the truth is that very few people can dream, envision, research, analyze, decide, execute, complete and succeed what they set out to do, especially when it comes to professional development. If you want to rise to the top 99th percentile of administrative professionals, getting certified and earning a professional designation can be a quick way to demonstrate, in an outer way, the internal commitment you’ve already been working hard at in less visible ways.

What can I do with certification?

Still not convinced? Here are just a few of the many benefits that may come your way after completing a professional certification:

You build confidence! Having that certificate on your wall sends a great positive message to everyone you work with. It means you are hungry for more! It teaches you that you are still teachable.

You gain new skills and competencies. The world is moving faster! Today’s garage startups will be the industry standard next year. You need to become – and remain – competitive.

You reinvent yourself. Reinventing yourself means you remain current and viable; you transcend age. This is critical because no matter your chronological age, you need to be adaptable.

You broaden your perspective. When you grow, you gain new insights that allow you to approach your work in a new, fresh way. You think more creatively and strategically.

You gain reputational prowess within your company. When you enter someone’s office, don’t you look around and see what they have posted? Framed certificates communicate that you care, that you “get it” and are serious about the business.

You master your time. When you decide to go the second mile for your career, you learn how to harness all that “free time” spent surfing the television and ‘net, at the water cooler chatting — none of which are inherently bad, but they may be a poor choice when you could instead be focused on creating a better future.

You decide to value yourself more highly. Yes, it takes effort to work a certification through to completion: turning in every assignment, reading, analyzing, expansion of your mind and tools. But it’s so worth it!

You can compete. In this competitive job market, you need every tool and resource in your toolkit.

You may even pay for it yourself. Hear me out on this one. You may need to split costs with your employer, such as using vacation to attend a conference they pay for, etc. Seeing yourself as an investment will increase your face value. You’ll carry yourself well, have professional poise and presence. You’ll walk into any boardroom or office with confidence that you are more than capable to perform with excellence.

It’s said that “dreams are only foolish to those who dare not try.” I hope you will choose to pursue your dream; do your research, present your strategic, specific and structured findings and be willing to partner with your manager to invest in yourself and in your future.

Once you do, put your heart into your certification and complete it. You never lose when you better yourself!

Here at Office Dynamics International, we offer several different certification programs, some of which can be earned in just a matter of days!